How We Can Make America a No-Kill Nation for Cats and Dogs

Beyond the health of our bodies, the main reason for so many of us to be vegan is that we wish to be humane human beings. Our food doesn’t have a face, or a mother, thank goodness. Our clothing isn’t constructed out of the fur or fleece of anyone’s child.

My vegan journey has led me to focus on dogs and cats. Even though these animals are not part of typical American diets or clothing, they are exploited and abused in other ways. Therefore, I feel they are worthy of our attention.

The biggest tragedy for dogs and cats in America is that 4 million of them, most in perfect health and good temperament, are killed every year in so-called animal “shelters.”

They have been picked up as strays, or turned in by owners who can no longer care for them. The cities and counties which run the facilities cannot find enough adoptive homes, and their holding pens are filled beyond capacity. So the animals, who are completely healthy (and loving and trusting and precious) are gassed or given lethal injections.

What can be done? For starters, here are 10 simple strategies that allow everyone to hack away at this horrible statistic and to help make America a no-kill nation for our dogs and cats:

Spay or neuter your pet. If we can prevent the birth of litters, then there will be fewer dogs and cats that have to be “euthanized” down the road. It is a cop-out to say that you will be able to find homes for all the babies your dog or cat will give birth to. A far better approach would be to find homes for the puppies and kittens that are already born and languishing at the shelter.

Become a foster mom or dad for one of the homeless animals at your local animal facility. Even if there is no room in your home, or your life, for a permanent four-legged addition right now, maybe you can commit to loving one of these creatures for a little while. Fostering helps to socialize the animals, making them more adoptable. It also frees up space at the shelters so that more animals can be given more time to be adopted.

Spend a few hours per week, or month, at your local shelter, petting and walking the animals. This, too, helps to socialize them so that they are better candidates for adoption.

Lobby against puppy mills and backyard breeders. Even the ones that claim to have impeccable safety records have no reason to be in business. They are flooding the market with a “product” that is already in over-supply. Animal shelters contain purebred dogs and cats who are desperate for loving homes. There are also animal rescue organizations specializing in various breeds—they can place in your arms ANY breed of dog or cat that you might desire.

Don’t leave your dog on the end of a chain, and reeducate your friends and neighbors not to do so either. Dogs get bored, lonely, frustrated, and injured when they live out their lives tethered to a stake in the ground. They are social pack animals who need the freedom to roam in their own safe spaces. The frustration can lead chained-up dogs to bite children and others who wander into their territory, which then leads to the destruction of the dogs. Also, the chains often break and the dogs run away, adding to the epidemic of homelessness.

Join your local TNR brigade. TNR stands for “trap, neuter, release,” and it is one of the best methods for dealing with feral cat colonies. If cats have been living away from human homes for some time, they are often unable to be re-socialized to live with humans. So, concerned cat ladies and gents round them up, see that they are fixed, and then return them to live out their lives in peace.

Fight breed-specific legislation whose aim is to bar people from owning pit bulls, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and other breeds of dogs who have a reputation for being vicious. In actuality, there is no breed which is more dangerous than any other. Almost any dog can be turned into a killer if it is starved, beaten, or trained with abusive methods. Conversely, with the proper handling, most dogs can be loyal, loving human companions, irrespective of their breed. Laws which prevent people from owning certain dogs only contribute to the homelessness problem.

Speak to landlords about their no-pets policy. So many renters would love to have a dog or cat companion, but their building or rental home doesn’t allow it. Landlords need to be told that animals are no messier or destructive than their human tenants.

Donate food, old towels, chew toys, and other supplies to your local animal shelter. If the shelters don’t have to spend their limited funds on these things, they might instead be able buy a few more cages or dog runs so that they can save that many more animals.

Visit your children’s school or summer camp to talk about responsible pet care. Kids love hearing about animals, and already have a natural affinity to be kind to them. If we can get through to the children, we have the best chance of a humane no-kill future for America’s dogs and cats.

Pit Bull Puppy Image Source: Sarah Gross

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5 comments on “How We Can Make America a No-Kill Nation for Cats and Dogs”

It's a great relief to see that even in USA no-killing shelters DO exist, after hearing all those horrible things about the NYC AC&C and their death raws for pets every day ç_ç I'm the proud and happy owner of 2 shelter's cats, and the though that they could have been killed before reaching me makes me grieve. Hope your example will help to change things there too. I would rather send my donations to places where pets are REALLY rescued and cared for! USA must be proud of you all, please keep up your great work!!! No-kill shelters must became the future everywhere!!! *O*

I am happy to hear that OneGreenPlanet is not on the PETA bandwagon of kill kill kill, kill all feral cats, kill all pitbulls, and close down all no kill shelters & rescues, and send vegan cookies to kill shelters. It's hard to find animal friendly news sources that do not blindly promote PETA as their savior of animals.

I *so* wish for the end of overcrowded animal shelters and to no longer see warehousing of difficult-to-place pets. Notwithstanding your excellent suggestions, Sarah, I see no end to this any time soon though.
The availability of affordable spay/neuter clinics or funds to subsidize these surgeries is tragically limited. And with a strong preference for puppies and kittens over adult dogs, many prospective pet owners steer clear of animal shelters where few young pets are to be found, and where adoption fees are often disturbingly high. Thus, many adopters turn to classified ads or "free-to-a-good-home" curbside give aways for the offspring of unspayed females owned by someone who couldn't afford to spay them. The cycle goes on and on it seems.
Also, the demand for tiny, fluffy "designer dogs" often dooms the medium and large dogs at animals shelters to be passed over for consideration by adopters. The supply of miniature dogs (excepting Chihuahuas, here in L.A.) is virtually non-existent among animal shelters and even most private pet adoption groups. Backyard breeders continue to reap the profits to meet such demand. So I disagree, Sarah, that adoption groups have available any breed that one desires.
I continue to struggle with the issue of breed-specific legislation. Some of the sweetest most adoptable dogs I have come across at animal shelters have been pit mixes that are impossible to place. But when you consider certain breeds have a built-in appeal by those who seek to have a "bad ass" dog, what can we do about that?
Sheesh, I've brought myself down now... sorry if I've done so for anyone else.

Thank You for caring so much for the animals of this world . I wish there were more people like you and those in your company on this planet. The animals would have a much better chance at the life they deserve. For animal lovers of the planet again Thank You!!